Welcome to our Churchyard

In today’s busy city, a churchyard is often one of the few big untouched spaces, and creates a sacred space where we can reconnect with nature. Churchyards are therefore sometimes referred to as ‘God’s acre’. Over the last few years, our churchyard has been cleared of brambles and ivy, enabling easier access and greater visibility. The graves have been cleared of unwanted vegetation, and people feel at ease visiting the graves in the far end of the churchyard. We now want to take a step further in tune with protecting the environment, educating us about nature, and enhancing our appreciation of just being in the open and peaceful sacred space.

The vision includes an eco -space surrounding an ash tree bordering the road. Volunteers from the Co-op Funeral Directors and boys from Radley College have cleared the area and grass has been sown.

In spring and summer any existing bulbs or plants will flourish, and then plans can be made to create a managed area, designed to encourage birds and butterflies. Information plaques will tell you what you might see. We are very fortunate to have advice from specialists, who can guide us in this endeavour. We are looking to include native British species, especially some of those traditionally steeped in religious symbolism.

To attract swifts to the tower, bird boxes will be in place for our seasonal visitors. If the swifts come, they will return to the same nest each year - and they come all the way from Africa!

There is a lot more in the churchyard than initially meets the eye. We have spotted a grey wagtail nearly a mile from his natural river habitat and some rare fungi yet to be identified. It is a beautiful place with a variety of trees, my favourite being the Scots pine.

Everyday flowers linked to St Mary For years the simple language of flowers has spoken to the hearts of those who stop and notice. For this reason, I’m asking you to stop for a moment and reflect on what flowers mean to you. To many they are beautiful and joyful, they can be given as gifts, mark the milestones of our lives, or simply remind us of nature and the seasons. Throughout the history of the church there are legends about flowers, from the time of the annunciation to associations with the latter day saints. Some of our favourite native wild flowers have ancient medieval legends associated with the Virgin Mary and the child Jesus. You may find these flowers growing in ditches, in your own back garden, and some in the churchyard. Knowing the significance of the flowers links us with our ancient heritage, helps us stop and reflect, and may turn our thoughts to the divine and the wonder of nature. To this effect I will tell you the story behind some of these flowers.
	The rose has always been the symbol of ‘Our Lady’, sometimes known as ‘The mystic rose’. White is the colour of purity, and a white rose would symbolise the purity of the Virgin Mary. Red symbolises passion. The red rose symbolises a mother’s compassion for the suffering of her son. It was said that roses adorned the tomb of the Virgin Mary.
	The cheerful pansy, or ‘Our Lady’s delight’ is also known as ‘The Trinity flower’. The three petals of the flower symbolise the Virgin Mary as the daughter of the Father, the Mother of the Son, and the spouse of The Holy Spirit.
	The common English daisy with its white petals is a symbol of patience, simplicity and purity. Legend has it that when the child Jesus first cut his hand, his blood spilt on the daisy. His mother Mary knew of the prophesy of the Passion, and grieved. The daisies heard her prayer and turned red, mirroring what was to come. The daisy is seen as a reminder of a mother’s deep compassion.
	The red poppy is the symbol of Christ’s blood on the cross. By association to this flower, we also think of the fields of Flanders, and those who have shed their blood in the defence of others.
	The lily of the valley was the plant that was said to have grown where Mary wept. In the middle ages, where there was an outdoor shrine to the Virgin Mary, lily of the valley often grew by her feet.
	The snowdrop, sometimes called Candlemas bells were often grown around medieval monasteries as a symbol of purity. Legend has it, these flowers were blooming at Candelmas when Mary took Jesus to the temple to be presented.
	Forget-me-nots grow in spring, and are the symbol of Our Lady’s eyes. Legend has it, that the Christ child was sitting on Mary’s lap looking into her eyes. He wished that future generations could see them. He touched the earth, and the forget-me-not flower sprang up in memory of Mary.
There are many stories about our common native flowers, and if we stop and reflect on their associations, we can connect with the most beautiful energy, the Blessed Virgin Mary. Sue Feltham